Hinckley Reservoir has dropped nearly 11 feet in a month

Hinckley Reservoir has dropped 10.5 feet in the past month from about 1,199 feet above sea level to 1,188 feet above sea level, according to http://waterdata.usgs.gov.

The top of Hinckley Dam is 1,225 feet above sea level.

In another development, the state is considering a plan to decrease the amount of water taken from depleted Hinckley to supply the state’s canal system, Assemblyman Dave Townsend, R-Sylvan Beach, said today.

Instead, water from feeder reservoirs such as Lake Delta in Rome will be used to supply the canal, Townsend said.

Other details still are unclear, and it is unknown when this will begin.

Townsend said he called the governor’s office to get details.

There is a state of emergency in Oneida County and Ilion because of the low water levels.

Meanwhile, there is a severe drought in northern Herkimer County, according to the National Weather Service, and the village of Ilion Thursday declared a water emergency.

Other portions of Herkimer and Oneida counties are in moderate drought status or abnormally dry, according the the weather service.

Check back later at uticaOD.com for details.

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